Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 15 December 1915

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Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 15 December 1915

1 I may be home on leave fairly early in January 11th or so as Genl going on 1st R very seldom goes with the Genl. I wonder
if anything has happened. My Dear PR You will see by the enclosed that there has been a bit of
a bother! Apparently I read Hugh's letter wrongly, but didn't it
read that way? Anyway I have gone out of my way to write
as nice a reply as I can & there the matter must end.
2 letters today as I hoped nice but not much news. No I
can't think why you should not like Sunday morning. Oh yes
of course it means your getting up earlier both yourself & the bw
when there. Just back from a hard ride with the General.
looking at the bombers who were good. He afterwards went on
to look at something else & asked me if a village was B &
having a map said no it is Y & we ought to go to our
right. However he was not going to be corrected & galloped
straight on when my cap conveniently came off so as he
had 2 ADCs with him I fell out & came home. I wonder
where he fetched up. Any how I think it was tactful of
me not to stop & crow silently later, but he may take it
differently of course. You will I hope have settled on your habitation, this
sounds better for a r than a mansion, especially when you
haven't been settled whether it is to be a flat or a maisonette. 2 I was in at lunch. Genl
not quite sure how to take
my disappearance. He got there but like this, & all the
time going hard so he was back to a very late lunch.
Your LXV111 letter posted 11th & 2 also on 12th got here first post 15th Wednesday.
Do exactly what you think fit for the youngsters, I
don't mind their getting Xmas presents now, but preferably
something that will outlast the Xmas holidays. Yes if Mater should read my letters what would
she think a pr!! Killinhall div rather disappointing tho' it earnings are
good, but it is putting by more that half for eventualities which
shows what they expect. I think it is probably wise. I should
like to se the report on the meeting if it reaches you. Genl talks of taking leave early in January so you
may have the chance of seeing him soon. Don't growl at
him! A pr's growl might really be terrifying as a
poor rabbit-kicked bw ( this corresponds to henpecked) knows so
well. Your poor bw who is very jealous of the
2 uncles. Wilfred BS We must settle the leave when it comes.

Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lillian in which he briefly touches on many subjects: a misinterpreted letter, an appointment of Lillian's, a flat to which Lillian has recently moved, the purchase of Christmas presents, financial matters, holiday leave, and a recent ride to the front with "the General", which ended in both Spender and his companion getting lost. This letter is part of a series of correspondence from Captain Sir Wilfrid Bliss Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, née Dean, (1880-1968).. The letters date mainly from 1915 to 1918, when Sir Wilfrid was serving in France. The letters concern politics, the Irish question, personal life, and Wilfrid's experience of the Great War. Sir Wilfrid Spender (1876 - 1960) was a member of the British Army until 1913 when controversy surrounding his signature of the Ulster Solemn League and Covenant resulted in his resignation. Spender was called up for military service in 1914, and served as an officer of the Ulster Division until 1916. Throughout the war, Spender remained in contact with the Ulster Unionist leadership, and consistently opposed Home Rule and the six-county solution. Lady Lillian was an organiser of the Ulster Division Comforts Fund during the war, and a member of the Ulster Volunteer Nursing Corps.

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How to cite

Letters 1916, published by the Austrian Centre for Digital Humanities, Vienna, 2026 (https://letters1916static.github.io/letters1916-static/item__2967.html)